OCS Archive Site

New Go Live date

As we welcome 2013, IRRI can look forward to a transformational time, as we begin the implementation of the One Corporate System (OCS). OCS will replace the systems currently used by the Institute to handle all information about finances, human resources, project management and other administrative functions.

The OCS go live date has been rescheduled for the 2nd quarter of 2013 to ensure a higher quality result for all partners (IRRI, WorldFish, CIP, AfricaRice, ICARDA, ILRI, ICRAF, Bioversity, CIAT, Consortium Office). The decision to adjust the date was supported and endorsed by the OCS Steering Committee at its pre Christmas meeting. They encouraged centers to revise go live dates taking into account the unanticipated complexities in the OCS development that are beyond any centre's control. Factors include a steep learning curve because Agresso Business World, the software behind OCS, is new to CGIAR, and because of the complexity of working on a shared project with ten CGIAR partners and the vendors spread across the globe.

The first OCS user training was completed in December 2012 for key IRRI OCS users. We have also successfully completed activities related to localization, system testing, test script development, data migration, change management, and improvements to the system.

We welcome new resources to support OCS in the form of dedicated and highly specialized staff. Rob Cherry has been hired by the OCS centres, mainly to provide strategic guidance, and his first assignment is IRRI before he moves on to other centers. In addition, the software provider helping with OCS at CGIAR has adjusted their project management team to better support the global OCS initiative.

The extra time before go live will be used to enhance overall system integrity, respond to feedback from expanded user acceptance testing, create improved documentation across all centers, complete rigorous data migration testing and continue end user training. In this period, the OCS Support Unit will be formed so it is ready to support staff.

Let me close by acknowledging the hard work and long hours in the office from the IRRI-OCS team who have brought OCS to an advanced state. They are keen to launch OCS and yet recognize that the prudence on the go live date will be beneficial for all OCS centers in the longer term. We look forward to everyone’s continued support and cooperation in implementing OCS: a shared service that will benefit IRRI, GRiSP and CGIAR. Regular updates will be provided as we approach the finish line, or more appropriately, the starting line. -Norman Macdonald Deputy Director General, Management Services and Chair, IRRI-OCS Steering Committee